Pairing food and wine can seem like a daunting task. You came into the wine store with one goal: to pick up a bottle for a backyard barbecue. Knowing which wine complements the flavor of a grilled sausage is tough, but you don’t want to be the friend who shows up with a six-pack of Coors Light either. Luckily, matching food and wine doesn’t have to be a Google-dependent endeavor and is easier than you might think.

“There's a science to pairing wine and food. It has to do with the acid, tannins, alcohol and sweetness of the wines paired with the food,” says Adam Fleischer, co-founder and owner of The Wine Spot, a unique craft wine and beer store in Cleveland, Ohio. It's all about balance according to Fleischer, who says, “The fattier the food, the higher acid you want in the wine since it counteracts the fat in foods.”

When it comes to selecting summer wines, Fleischer recommends keeping it light, refreshing and opting for something with a lower alcohol content (great for day-drinking). “Whites with little to no oak, bubbly and reds such as nebbiolo, Beaujolais, dry rosé, pinot noir, Lambruscos work nicely with most summer dishes like grilled foods, fish, veggies and pizza. I stay away from anything with too much alcohol or intense reds for the most part."

At the end of the day, you should buy wines you enjoy drinking and don't be afraid to experiment. Below are six easy summer pairings that will get you started. Bonus points for using the words "tannins" and "mouthfeel" when serving these to your friends and family.

Lambrusco + burgers

Lambrusco, a bubbly dry red, is a great accompaniment to a grilled burger, steak or BBQ pork sandwich. “The acid and bubbles refresh and cleanse your palate from the fat on the tongue.” Fleischer says.

Dry rosé + cheese

Rosé is like that friend who’s great at parties — she can hold her own in a crowd of strangers, chatting up your awkward office mate with ease. A dry rosé goes exceptionally well with appetizers and cheeses, Fleischer says. This herbed ricotta and tomato bruschetta would be perfect with a glass of rosé. A simple summer cheese board is another great option.

More: 11 Common Foods That Can Turn Toxic During Cooking

Sparkling white + lemon pasta with tomatoes and basil

Prosecco, like rosé, is an easygoing wine. It pairs well with rich, salty foods like olives, aged cheeses or cured meats. Another sparkling white option Fleischer recommends is Ulacia Txakolina (pronounced chakolina). “It’s a wonderful, slightly fizzy white wine from the Basque region of Spain. Dry, light and super-fun for summer.” Try it with a summery pasta dish with tomatoes, lemon zest and fresh Parmesan. The wine’s acidity and freshness also complements a salad studded with summer fruits like peaches or nectarines.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo + grilled pizza

Looking for a bang-for-your-buck red that over delivers? Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the wine for you. This earthy red comes from the Abruzzi hills above the Adriatic coast of central Italy and pairs well with anything tomato based — an heirloom tomato salad or a grilled pizza would be perfect.

More: 7 Pro Grilling Tips to Up Your Summer BBQ Game

Spanish white blend + skirt steak tacos

While red meat is traditionally paired with a hearty red, Fleischer recommends serving a white instead. “Since we grill a lot in the summer, those foods tend to have some fat component, so go for the higher-acid refreshing wines with a little chill on them.” Fleischer recently enjoyed this white from Black Slate, which he served with grilled skirt steak.

Sauvignon blanc + roasted vegetable sandwiches with goat cheese

A bright, citrusy sauvignon blanc pairs well with a roasted vegetable and goat cheese sandwich — the perfect picnic food. The clean acidity in the wine balances the minerality of the goat cheese. This insulated wine tote will keep your bottle cool on a hot day.

Adorable farm animals may be the last things you want to think deeply about when visiting your favorite fast food spots — except, of course, if it leads to free food.

Today is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A, and to celebrate, anyone entering a location dressed as a cow to any degree, will score a free entrée. Children will receive a free Kid’s Meal too. And as far as we know, that’s any level of dress, from full-on Halloween garb to a cow-print hair bow.

This is part of the Eat Mor Chikin campaign Chick-fil-A is famous for — by their logic, if you're appreciating cows (by not eating them), you're eating more chicken by default. Interesting rationale, but hey, people will let a lot slide in the name of free food.

This is the 13th year Chick-fil-A has done this promotion, and during last year’s they gave out over 1.6 million free meals — so apparently something's working for them!

More: Why you shouldn't try the Chick-fil-A "cleanse"

More: Chipotle Might Add Queso to the Menu Soon

This promotion is available all day today (Tuesday, July 11) meaning that if you're a Chick-fil-A fan who's looking to save a buck, you might just want to cycle through local locations for your breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Celebrities live a life of constant scrutiny, and it can't be fun. That probably goes double when it comes to relationship troubles and the way the media handles celebrity splits and the rumors that surround them.

More: Jesse Williams Accuses His Estranged Wife of Keeping Him From His Kids

Consider the case of Jesse Williams and the very public breakup from his wife Aryn Drake-Lee. After some intense coverage of their split, Williams is speaking up about how he disliked the way that split was covered. Appearing on Jay-Z's Footnotes for 4:44, Williams takes a moment to address that coverage: 

"I was in a relationship 13 years, 13 real years, not five years, not seven years, 13 years, and all of a sudden motherfuckers are writing think pieces that I somehow threw a 13-year relationship — like the most painful experience I’ve had in my life, like with a person I’ve loved with all of my heart — that I threw a person and my family in the trash because a girl I work with is cute," Williams says on the video.

The Grey's Anatomy star may be referencing rumors that he had cheated on her with his co-star, Minka Kelly. Neither party has commented on those rumors — until now.

More: Hold Up, People Really Want Jesse Williams Fired Because of his BET Speech

The video also includes some very famous friends weighing in on their own relationships, including Will Smith, Aziz Ansari, Meek Mill, Michael B. Jordan, and Kendrick Lamar. The footage from this documentary has yet to be released, but if Williams' comments from these early reports are anything to go by, it's going to make for an interesting watch.

More: Jesse Williams Has a Very Special Message for all the Non-Voters Out There

But that's all the detail we're getting for now. Williams and Drake-Lee are focused on a custody battle over their two children, and TBH, who even has time for the Hollywood gossip mill?

During the warmer months of summer, it's pretty par for the course to hear people complain about not being "beach ready" or that they haven't worked out enough to show off their arms in that hot new tank top they just purchased. Look, we get it. Baring skin and feeling confident is tough for anyone — but when you're living with a skin condition, it can be excruciating.

I myself have psoriatic arthritis. I've had minor symptoms for about 13 years, but things didn't really start flaring up until about two years ago. I'm not sure what happened, but around that time all hell broke loose. My elbows became a mess, I got spots on my legs and my scalp became scaly AF. Considering some of my favorite things about summer are sundresses and topknots, obviously these symptoms throw a real wrench in my day-to-day summer life — and completely destroy my confidence at times.

Unfortunately, most of us with skin conditions kinda suffer alone. I slogged my way through figuring out how to deal with my psoriasis on my own for a couple of years and didn't meet anyone else dealing with it until recently. We swapped tips about how to keep our skin in check and it felt so good. It also made me realize that there are other people out there just like me dealing with skin issues and doing the best they can to feel good about baring some skin.

More: 7 Things People With Psoriasis Want You to Know

So I reached out on the good ol' internet and got some tips for feeling confident and keeping flare-ups at bay from real people with skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and pigmentation issues. Here's what they had to say.

1. Cheat

This first tip is from me! Yes, I have bumpy elbows and some spots on my legs — but my scalp bears the brunt of my affliction. Man, oh man, I didn't realize how many things I took for granted when my scalp was clear. Back in the day, one of my favorite ways to treat myself was to get my hair done. Now I avoid the salon like the plague.

But the hardest part about summer and early fall for me is not being able to throw my hair up into a cute ponytail without a care in the world anymore. That's right, y'all, when my psoriasis is a-flarin', it creeps right out of my hairline and settles in into a lovely little crust behind my ears. I can easily keep it out of sight by wearing my hair down, but I live in central Texas, and a girl's got to be able to wear her hair back when it's humid as heck and hotter than Hades outside.

So what do I do? I cheat my hair. I tease the crap out of the roots, use a little dry shampoo and hair spray to give all-over body, and from there, I either put my hair up in a pony or a low bun. Since my hair has the added volume, I'm able to manipulate it to cover my hairline and behind my ears. Here's a good example:

I also often wear a Betty Draper-esque cloth headband to cover my hairline when my hair is up. This lets me show off the back of my neck, while still covering the parts of my head I want to keep hidden.

2. Go natural

"My skin around my upper back and shoulders has discolored pale spots, especially after being in the sun. My doctor diagnosed this as tinea versicolor, a benign fungal rash that temporarily alters skin pigmentation. Lately, I have been exploring and leaning towards more natural remedies. I have created a blend of essential oils featuring lemon and lavender. While both are antiseptic, lavender is antifungal and lemon is antibacterial — plus it assists with brightening a dull complexion. However, lemon increases the chances of sunburn, so I make sure to not use it if I know I'm going to be in the sun. And I always apply extra sunscreen!" — Katie D., SheKnows contributor

3. Oil up & stay stress free

"Coconut oil really helps soothe any angry patches of psoriasis on my skin: my elbows, my knees, my ears. I slather it on, put on old clothes, and let it work its magic! I add a few drops of almond oil to my baths, which also helps — although I can't have my bath water too hot! I've learned over many years of trial and error that hot water is not my friend. The biggest factor for me in managing my psoriasis is staying stress-free, so I make sure I take time out for myself whenever I can — for me this means running and yoga." — Claire G., SheKnows Parenting editor

4. Ceramides for skin hydration

"I've suffered from eczema since I was a little girl all the way into my 20s. I thought I was the only one dealing with this because I was ashamed and tried to hide my symptoms for years, but actually over 30 million Americans have been diagnosed with eczema... I make sure to consume fats like butter, cottage cheese, eggs and yogurt. These foods are sources of ceramides. Ceramides play an important role in keeping the skin hydrated and can be effective at reducing the feelings of dryness associated with eczema. Other foods sources for ceramides are whole-wheat bread, sweet potatoes, turkey and cow’s milk. I also take ceramides in a capsule supplement (containing 15 milligrams of ceramides)." — Naomi W.

5. Accessorize

Sometimes all you need to feel confident in spite of your skin issues is a really great statement piece, be it a necklace or purse.

"Being a fashion blogger, I am always on the hunt for a beautiful necklace or bag. It helps me feel chic on a day-to-day basis. I feel great — who doesn’t need that? Plus, it’s a great conversation starter." — Sabrina S., Homegrown Houston

6. Accentuate the positive

"Although my skin may be breaking out or flaring, I still want to feel beautiful. Instead of just focusing on my skin, I choose to focus on a physical feature that isn't affected by psoriasis. I love to play with my makeup, and I'll often choose a fun lipstick, like a red that really pops! Other times I'll highlight my eyes with a bold eyeliner and mascara. Whether or not your skin is flaring, you're beautiful and you deserve to feel that way. Draw attention to something you're happy about." — Melissa L.

7. Be an advocate

"I have had psoriasis for just over 18 years. You can imagine being diagnosed in high school the looks and people constantly thinking you are contagious. Fast-forward to current day, I attended a volunteer conference put on by the National Psoriasis Foundation in 2015 and realized I wasn't alone and it lit a fire in my heart and gave me a the confidence to step outside my comfort zone and dedicate more time to help advocate... I'm not going to deny that there are days that I want to hide — and then I remember that I can be a voice to advocate for that person who is newly diagnosed or that teenage girl who is scared of what lies ahead." — Jennifer P.

8. Educate

"I too have psoriasis. One of the things that I do, it makes me feel like I'm more in control, is educate people who stare. I usually give them three chances... [laughs]. If I catch their eye three times as they're staring at my legs or elbows, I go introduce myself and casually mention that I have psoriasis and see where the conversation takes us. Usually, people are pretty embarrassed to be caught, but it helps me feel more comfortable." — Jess D.

More: How Psoriasis Changed My Life... for the Better

9. Cover it up

"I’ve dealt with plaque psoriasis for about 14 years. I didn’t become officially diagnosed until 2012. I spent years hiding under long sleeves or bangs to cover the patches on my forehead. I discovered Dermablend creme foundation on an online forum and was able to cover all of the patches on my trunk and legs before my dates. Nobody ever noticed that I had a problem, and I even met my fiancé during this rough period of breakouts. When I told him that I had psoriasis, he had not even noticed." — Samantha S.

Do you have any other tips for staying confident while battling a skin condition?

This post was brought to you as part of a sponsored advertising collaboration.

Peyton Manning is one of the most well-known and respected football players in the United States. He's retired from the sport now, but on Wednesday, he'll reenter the limelight to host the 2017 ESPY Awards.

Just in case you're not quite up to date on your famous retired football players, here's a quick primer about five times Manning was awesome.

More: Football-Inspired Sex Positions for Halftime

1. When he lived up to his football legacy

Peyton is the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning. Archie played 16 seasons in the NFL, and no player from the New Orleans Saints has worn Archie's number, 8, since he left the team in 1982.

Peyton's multiple-record-holding younger brother is part of the legacy, too. Eli Manning currently plays for the New York Giants and has been named MVP of both Super Bowl games he won with the team.

With all that talent in one family, you've got to wonder what childhood at the Manning house was like. Was a football career always a foregone conclusion? Was there sibling rivalry? Is there still sibling rivalry? This GIF of the Manning family celebrating Peyton's last Super Bowl win while Eli looks distinctly unimpressed seems to indicate yes.

More: The 10 Hottest Football Players

2. When he broke records

Peyton is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and he still holds several significant football records from his long career, including most passing yards, most touchdown passes, most AP MVP awards and most Pro Bowl appearances.

When he was 39, Peyton also earned the dubious distinction of being the oldest quarterback to start in (and win!) a Super Bowl. I mean, that's a compliment, right? I'm going to say yes. I'm 33 and I don't think I'd get through five minutes of a football game (either watching or playing, if we're being honest).

3. When he was incredibly business-savvy

Here's an odd fact: Peyton owns 21 Papa John's pizza franchise locations in Colorado. Does this seem random to you? That's because it is, but it's also genius. Here's why.

Peyton bought these pizza joints right before some other joints were legalized in Colorado. That's right, two weeks before weed was legalized in Colorado, Peyton made a serious investment in one of the most popular cures for the munchies ever.

Damn, who knew Peyton was so business-savvy? A few minutes ago, I was envious of his athletic ability. Now I'm jonesing for a piece of his pizza empire. It's not fair, one man having so much.

It's a good thing he shares.

4. When he helped others

Peyton isn't satisfied with being one of the GOATs of football and owning almost two dozen pizza shops, however. The dude also likes to give back to those less fortunate.

Early in his NFL career, Peyton created The PeyBack Foundation, a nonprofit that works to help young people better themselves. The organization, founded in 1999, helps kids create a brighter future through building a sense of community and providing opportunities for leadership and growth. The PeyBack Foundation operates in Indiana, Tennessee and Louisiana and has donated over $1.3 million to youth organizations since its inception.

Not only that, but after Peyton's donation of an undisclosed amount, a hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, was renamed the Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent. Whew! That must have come with quite the price tag.

It's so gratifying to see someone using their success to give a hand up to others who might not have had the same opportunities.

More: Why Women Are Superfans of Football

5. When he made fun of himself

When you have this much going for you and you've basically become the god of American football, pizza pies and giving back, it wouldn't be hard to get a little full of yourself. Luckily, it seems that Peyton still retains a healthy dose of humility, at least according to some of his self-deprecating SNL skits.

The skits take aim at his squeaky clean reputation and turn it on its head. The results are hilarious.

On one hand, I feel horrible for laughing so hard at little kids getting beaned by footballs, but on the other hand, oh my god.

So. Good.

Thank you, Peyton Manning, for everything.

Unfortunately, I'm no stranger to snortable sweets. I'll be the first to admit that one time in seventh grade I attempted to snort a Pixie Stix. Still, the concept of snortable chocolate makes me want to gag.

Coco Loko is the product in question — it's made with cocoa beans, a plant extract called gingko biloba, an amino acid called taurine that's believed to improve mental and physical performance and the caffeine-rich energy supplement guarana.

More: The latest party "drug" is something you probably eat all the time

Coco Loko is being marketed as "raw cacao snuff." Ah, yes, how could we forget the cool and sexy snuff trend of the 1700s, when people would snort a bunch of finely ground tobacco up their noses in public and somehow feel above the commoners who smoked their tobacco like mere peasants? Yup, that's definitely a trend we want to bring back.

The product supposedly induces a feeling of euphoria, mental clarity and well-being while also energizing you for a night at the club (their suggestion, not mine!). But what's most alarming about Coko Loko is its added ingredients. Sure, cocoa has some caffeine in it, but not enough to be dangerous. But guarana and taurine are stimulants often used in energy drinks, and snorting those along with a source of caffeine is what has people worried that it could actually be dangerous.

More: You'll Never Guess What Starbucks Was Almost Named

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer wants to investigate the product more closely, saying in a letter to the Food and Drug Administration, "This suspect product has no clear health value...I can't think of a single parent who thinks it is a good idea for their children to be snorting over-the-counter stimulants up their noses."

Since Coco Loko is technically a chocolate product, Schumer is understandably afraid that kids will take to it more easily than they should, thinking of it as candy rather than a stimulant. And since Coco Loko doesn't contain nicotine or tobacco like regular snuff, there aren't any age restrictions on who can buy it.

More: Can Coffee Really Make You Live Longer? It's Complicated

All that said, there's no hard evidence yet about the negative effects of snorting Coco Loko. But like Schumer, I agree that the FDA should fully investigate the product before it's allowed to be sold as a "safe" stimulant to kids and adults alike. Plus, can I just ask the obvious question here — namely, why would anyone snort chocolate when they could, I don't know, eat it?

We probably should have seen this coming.

More: Ben Affleck Has Quietly Re-entered the Dating Pool

Since Ben Affleck went public with his first relationship since his split from Jennifer Garner, rumors have been going wild that his "new" relationship is actually years old and that his marriage to Garner fell apart because he was cheating on her with his now-girlfriend, Lindsay Shookus.

A number of sources (all anonymous, of course) have come forward to outlets like People and Us Weekly to claim that Affleck has been seeing Shookus on the side since 2013, years before his 2015 split from Garner. The Us Weekly source even claimed Shookus was "the catalyst" for the Bennifer breakup.

"Lindsay was the main reason that Jen decided to leave Ben," that source claimed. "They had a multitude of problems, but this was the breaking point for Jen. This wasn’t just sex, this was infatuation and a full-blown relationship that Ben and Lindsay were having while they were both married."

More: Jennifer Garner Addresses Unauthorized Divorce BS for the Record

People is also reporting that Garner even found out about the alleged affair in 2015 and confronted both Shookus and Shookus' ex-husband, Kevin Miller. "Lindsay refused to back down or quit the affair," a source told People. Other sources, who the magazines have confirmed are people close to Affleck and Garner, deny all of this, of course.

A friend of Affleck's told Us Weekly that Affleck and Shookus have only been dating three months, adding, "There is not one reason to end a marriage. These two have a lot of love and respect for each other."

And an insider close to Shookus denied those confrontation rumors, telling People, "Jennifer and Lindsay do not have any relationship."

This kind of news needs to be taken with a grain of salt, especially when you consider the relationship that Garner and Affleck clearly have after their split. They co-parent peacefully. They hang out and appear to enjoy each other's company. They even went on vacation together over the Fourth of July. Does that sound like a couple that split after some dramatic confrontation about a mistress?

More: 12 GIFs & Photos of Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner That Still Break Our Hearts

Didn't think so.

We're not sure we're loving it.

A McDonald's in Elanora, Australia, has banned kids wearing school uniforms between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Say what?

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A peculiar sign in the restaurant window suggested the ban was requested by local schools. The Queensland Department of Education confirmed this, saying the shutout is targeting truancy.

The sign reads, “Attention school students. Any student in school uniform will not be served between the hours of 9am and 3pm. This is as per your schools [sic] request.” 

"Local businesses have agreed to support school attendance by not serving students who are in uniform without their parents during school hours," the spokesperson of the department of education said in a press release. "This policy was communicated to school communities in June this year and strongly supported by the parent bodies of the respective schools."

More: Sixth grader fights school's sexist dress code

The manager of the shopping center where the McDonald's is located, Hilary Jacobs, said that the request from schools was actually passed along to all restaurants in the center to “encourage children to remain at school during the school day... Each business could then act on the advice as they felt was appropriate."

No word on whether other fast-food restaurants are going to join forces with McDonald's.

Tough love indeed for the kids of Elanora. Until they figure out all they need to do to get a Big Mac midday is bring a change of clothes in their schoolbag.

At this point, it's kind of hard to imagine Kit Harington as anyone other than his Game of Thrones character, Jon Snow.

More: Lena Headey Opens Up About Filming GoT With Postpartum Depression

But he's doing his best to make us imagine it anyway — and helping us get psyched up for Season 7 — by releasing his long-lost audition tapes for, well, just about every other GoT character.

OK, just kidding. He was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! when he filmed the definitely fake audition tapes. But that doesn't make them any less hilarious. Seriously, Harington nails some of his co-stars. Check it out:

More: Emilia Clarke Didn't Think Twice Before Comparing Womanhood to Racism

Still rocking his well-known chin-length hair and goatee, he dons wigs and costumes to portray Cersei Lannister (after confusing her with Kirsten Dunst?), Arya Stark, Hodor (*tears*), Daenerys Targaryen and even a White Walker.

"When you play the game of thrones, you either win, or you die. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to have sex with my brother," he says as Cersei before transitioning into the role of Arya Stark with this perfect line: "I'm a widdle girl who acts like a widdle boy and I'm a killer with my widdle sword!"

It's a good thing Harington landed the role of Jon Snow, because it's clearly the one he was best suited for. When he showed up for his actual audition, he rolled in with a black eye, convincing producers he was a perfect fit to play the rough-and-tumble Snow. Also, his impressions were objectively terrible, even if they were funny.

More: Here's Who's Going to Die on Game of Thrones Season 7

Just a few days until Season 7 premieres, and it's safe to say we're ready for it.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but what about the genitals?

One of the most challenging factors of maintaining a long-distance relationship is the lack of sex. For millennia, couples wrote beautiful prose to one another from across the world, and then in the 1990s, email became a household fixture, textually closing the gap between cities, states, countries and continents. From expensive long-distance phone calls, we’ve moved on to quick connections over free internet-based call services, not to mention texting and video chats. In mere seconds, we can send a photo to a sweetie in Fiji. Phone sex, sexting and cam sex are all excellent recent inventions and have helped to shape the way we think about sex in modern society.

So what’s the next frontier?

“Over the next little while,” says We-Vibe brand manager Stephanie Keating, “I see more and more interactive features being added and giving couples a closer connection even while being separated.”

We-Vibe, a company well-known for its hands-free vibrators, is at the forefront of the current teledildonics boom and is meeting the demand for sex toys that bring couples closer together, one megabyte at a time. Through their app We-Connect, users can tether several of the company’s vibrators via a Bluetooth connection and send an invite to whomever they want to take control.

Once a connection is made over Wi-Fi or a 3G/LTE network, the vibrator becomes a vessel for the controller’s customizable pattern and intensity settings, and partners can connect over secure video, voice, or text chat. Currently, We-Vibe offers a variety of app-ready toys for vaginal, penile and anal use, and the app has recently expanded to include two-way play. If each partner has an app-compatible toy, they can both connect within one session.

More: Why The Pleasure Gap Is a Gender Equality Issue

Features like these aren’t just futuristic, they’re tangibly making a difference in many couples’ sex lives, near and far.

“When we first launched We-Connect, we heard from a couple that were completely thrilled as they exclaimed that they had successfully had sex across the Atlantic," Keating says. "And, an elderly gentleman told us how having the app on an iPad allowed him to finally see and know what he was doing when pleasuring his wife because he could see the controls on the large iPad screen.”

More: Orgasms Are More Illusive for Straight Women

While using app-enabled toys with an in-town date can be thrilling, couples in long-distance relationships are especially able to reap tactile benefits from innovations like these.

“One of the hardest things in a long-distance relationship it maintaining the intimacy,” says Keating. “We-Connect is not a replacement for that, but it offers couples a fun way to explore pleasing each other when [partners] are not in the same place. And it gets couples talking about their pleasure and that intimate connection they may feel they are missing.”

Dr. Tina B. Tessina, psychotherapist and author of 13 titles, including The Commuter Marriage: Keep Your Relationship Close While You’re Far Apart, says that those conversations paired with new experiences can actually give your relationship an edge.



More: Yes, Your Partner Can Go Down on You During Your Period — And It Can Help With Cramps

“You are forced to learn to communicate clearly. Being apart can even deepen your relationship because of the effort you need to make to stay connected,” she says. “The problems, of course, are that you are spending a lot of time apart, and keeping your connection and intimacy feeling fresh is not easy. If [a product] is easy enough to use and you make good agreements about it, it can be fun.”

Long-distance couples find success when they’re invested in the quality of their relationship, but being apart can be an incredible emotional challenge for even the truest romantic. With app-enabled toys becoming more common in the sex industry, more couples are able to have a whole new sex life no matter where they’re located.

Looking for a few tips to keep your long-distance love alive?

1. Surprise your sweetie with a package of goodies


Sending a care package with something sure to produce pleasure is a great way to send the message that you seriously care about your partner’s satisfaction.


2. Get matchy-matchy

While shopping for a treat for your love, pick up something for yourself –– you deserve to feel the love too!



3. Wait for the phone call, then get to work

Once your partner receives their package, get on the phone and use your products together, in-app or otherwise. Talk about the sensations, what you like and what you can’t wait to show them the next time they’re in town.

It can be a lot of work to be in a long-distance relationship, but with technological advancements rolling out at record-breaking speed, we’re getting a little closer every day to the people we love to love.

Days of Our Lives is having a casting bonanza these days, with familiar faces returning to the fold from Alison Sweeney to Chandler Massey and Eileen Davidson. With Davidson adding another to show to her already busy schedule, something had to give.

More: Eileen Davidson Is Returning to Days of Our Lives

She is, of course, sticking with her role as Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless, but her days on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills are over — for now. The first hint of her exit happened when Camille Grammer shared a photo of the Season 8 cast and recurring guests in Las Vegas. Davidson was nowhere to be seen.

More: A Look Back at Lisa Rinna’s Early Years on Days of Our Lives

Davidson responded to fans’ questions on Instagram by confirming that she was out of RHOBH for Season 8 because she had too much on her plate.

"After a lot of thought, because of my crazy scheds at YR and DOOL, I've decided it's best for me and my fam to step away from being a housewife for now," she wrote on her Instagram page. "But ya never know! I might be popping in to see what the ladies are up to from time to time! Thanks for your love and support guys!!!!"

Davidson is definitely leaving the door open and every Housewives franchise fan knows that the women should never say never to a return. Viewers have seen cast members like NeNe Leakes and Bethenny Frankel come in and out of the series only to return when Bravo producers realize their magic is missing.

More: Lisa Vanderpump Wouldn't Leave Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Would She?

While Davidson didn’t stir up the drama as much as Frankel or Leakes, there is still a possibility for a Season 9 return. The producers would probably love to get Davidson back in the same room as her frenemy Lisa Vanderpump.

For now, Davidson is focused on scripted material, which means her regular Y&R gig on CBS and her temporary return to DOOL. For any actress, being this much in demand is a fabulous problem. RHOBH isn’t going anywhere, so I’m betting we see a Davidson return sooner versus later.

By Elaine McGhee

As a new mom, it was pretty standard for me to rush home after work feeling desperate to hold my infant girl. One particular day is burned into my mind, though.

As my wonderful nanny went to hand my daughter over to me, her chubby little fingers wouldn't let go. Tears welled up in my eyes as my daughter began to cry, and I witnessed in real time her preference for someone other than me. It was as if with each cry she was saying, “You are a bad mom,” and, “I love her better because I see her more.”

With rising child care costs (especially if you have multiple children), a nanny may be the best option. Nannies come to your house to take care your children, and they often help out with household chores and even cook meals. And the quality of one-on-one care they can show your child(ren) is important — a recent study showed how children of working moms who enjoy high-quality child care are more successful later in life.

That said, the parent-nanny relationship is an intimate and complex one. It involves some of the most fundamental aspects of life: children, love, money and communication. And even though you trust a professional to watch your child, it's inevitable that jealousy, resentment and frustration can (and will) arise.

More: 5 Things Our Parents Felt Zero Guilt About (And Maybe They Were Right)

The long and short of it is that jealousy happens.

And the fact that you're affected by the emotional toll of the nanny relationship means you are a great mom. You care and want to do the best for your child. So, what is the real root of the problem? Become aware of what's triggering your feelings. Does your baby cling to your child care provider or seem indifferent to you when you get home? Or perhaps do you hear about a baby “first” after it happens, so you feel like you missed out.

These triggers only bring to light some of your fears that are lurking under the surface, like:

• Insecurity about how to raise your child. After all, you have to admit that you're the rookie (as a new mom, at least), and Nanny has done this before. It’s tough to let go of control and ask for guidance when you don’t know how to stop the crying.
• Resentful of time spent with your child. Are you working more than you would like? Is your commute too long? Feeling like you are missing out on your child’s development makes the working mother guilt very real!
• Feeling like you are missing out. It’s hard to feel connected to your child when there's lack of communication or infrequent updates or when you're not physically with them as much as you'd like.

But nanny jealousy can be overcome!

The path to healing the wounds of nanny jealousy is an inside job. You may be suffering in silence, and opening up those lines of communication will help. Here are a few things you can do.

1. Forgive yourself & remember that you are a great mom

It must be in the DNA of great moms to be hard on themselves. An interaction with the nanny on a Tuesday might trigger negative self-talk and a cascade of shame through the weekend. Nanny jealousy is all part of the process. You are great at what you do, and your child loves you dearly.

2. Think of your nanny as team member

My husband, my nanny and I call ourselves Team McGhee. If we figure out a tricky logistical problem or school project, we celebrate our team effort. She is there as a willing and capable member of your child care support network.

3. Talk to your working-mom network

So many of your friends have been through your same troubles and found creative solutions for them. Have the courage to admit you don’t know and welcome support from your broader support network.

4. Be transparent & vulnerable

Does your nanny know how you feel? Really? Take the opportunity to share with her that as a mom you have these feelings and that the nanny is not to blame, it’s just part of you’re the journey. Speaking your truth will set you free. It is also an invitation for her to offer some solutions you may not have thought of before. Get your nanny involved in the solution.

More: How I Raised a Strong and Courageous Daughter

5. Ask for more communication

When the resentment you feel is around lack of connection to your child, the solution could be more text message pictures of baby or bringing baby into work for a lunch date. Seeing your child throughout the day could lift some of the resentment toward your full-day child care provider.

Even today with a 7- and a 5-year-old, for the first 30 minutes when I get home, my girls call me by my nanny’s name. In the earlier days, it crushed my confidence and made me feel like I was failing at motherhood. But today, I see it as part of the adjustment period and a sign that our nanny has made a positive impact on my girls' lives — and ultimately, that is something to be grateful for.

Originally published on Fairygodboss.

Hasn't Ariana Grande been through enough?

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Just two months after a terror attack on her arena concert in Manchester, United Kingdom, a man was arrested who police say had plans to target Grande's show in Costa Rica. They're not releasing much information about him, but Costa Rican authorities have at least confirmed he is a Colombian citizen with the family names Caicedo López. They have not revealed whether he was working alone or on behalf of any sort of organization, terrorist or otherwise.

More: The Most Powerful Speeches From Ariana Grande's One Love Manchester Concert

After the man in question was arrested, Grande's concert went off without a hitch — and she has massive cajones to continue to perform after someone was arrested for planning to target another one of her shows. She even posted a mirror selfie to Instagram for her Costa Rican friends before going onstage.

"Cost Rica tonight," she wrote, adding a sweet message for her fans in the country: "Missed you. I love you. Grateful."

The incident follows closely — and eerily so — on the heels of the May attack at a concert of Grande's in Manchester, England. A suicide bomber connected to ISIL detonated an explosive device in the lobby of the Manchester arena where Grande played just after her concert ended on May 22. Twenty-two people were killed in the blast, including a number of children, and many were left injured. Grande returned to Manchester weeks later to host a benefit show to raise funds for the victims and their families.

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Fans posted photos and videos from the show, which looked amazing. We still can hardly believe how Grande has bounced back after the devastating attack in Manchester, but she's been the picture of grace and resilience. Well done, sis.

The Real Housewives of Dallas may not have a season count as high as some of the franchise's best-known offerings (yet), but that sure doesn't mean the drama is lacking down south.

More: RHOD Brandi Redmond's Kids Don't Deserve to Pay for her Mistakes

After a successful first season, RHOD is coming back, and there's already major drama just from the second season's first trailer: Stephanie Hollman and Brandi Redmond are no longer BFFs.

"My best friend is not my best friend anymore," Redmond says in the new trailer, which then cuts to Hollman saying, through tears, "The one person who was supposed to love me like a sister threw me away like a piece of trash."

We don't know too many details yet, but it seems like their relationship may have fallen apart over Redmond's failing marriage, which was featured prominently in the first season. In the trailer, Redmond can be seen telling Hollman, who is once again crying, "You said that my marriage was like watching a slow car crash." Yeah, that'll get in the way of a friendship.

More: Cary Deuber Addresses Affair Rumors in RHOD Reunion Sneak Peek

All hope may not be lost quite yet, though, because of this moment:

Bustle reports that Tiffany Hendra is not returning for the series' second season, but instead, viewers get two newcomers: D’Andra Simmons and Kameron Westcott.

Westcott is described as a "real-life Elle Woods from Legally Blonde," and she's in the process of trying to create and market a pink dog food. Only on Real Housewives, y'all.

Simmons is good friends with series regular LeAnne Locken, and promises she's only going to "walk on eggshells" when she talks about her mother and Jesus.

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We're in for a wild ride, y'all.

By Melissa Ricker

Giving feedback to the person who signs your paycheck can be scary. A good boss will be open and receptive to your suggestions, but an inexperienced or below-par boss may become defensive or upset. Whether you have a good or bad boss, you should be able to openly and honestly communicate your feedback. Here are a few tips to help the conversation go well.

1. Be honest

The goal of this potentially awkward conversation is to help your boss improve, so don't be afraid to be honest as long as you're coming from a place of authenticity. Voice your opinion directly without beating around the bush. Let her/him know what you don't like as well as why you don't like it and how it makes you feel. Your boss likely has no idea that something has been bothering you.

The best way to start the conversation is to open with something like, "Would you be open to some feedback?" By kicking things off in this manner, you'll (hopefully) dissolve any potential defensiveness.

More: The 15 Leadership Skills Necessary For Success

2. Be professional

It's essential that you remain professional throughout the conversation, even if your boss chooses not to. It can be tempting to let your emotions take the driver's seat, but resist those urges. Remember the goal of the conversation. You aren't trying to hurt your boss's feelings. Your feedback is meant to drive positive change.

Negative feedback is never easy to give or receive. Keep it brief and to the point, and remain the professional that you are. If you feel emotional, try to relax before approaching your boss. Losing your cool or becoming emotional will defeat the purpose of the meeting.

3. Talk in person

Emailing or texting negative feedback is never wise. Nonverbal communication is completely lost in the written word. With a touchy conversation, it's essential to do it in person. Otherwise your boss may misread the email or accidentally read more into it than is actually there. She may completely miss the fact that you're trying to be constructive and professional.

While it might feel easier to type an email than say the words, it's always the wrong move. Schedule a time with your boss or drop by and ask for a few moments of her time.

More: Don’t Watch This Heart-Wrenching Video About Workplace Bias Without Tissues

4. End on a positive note

Make it clear to your boss that you appreciate everything she does for you and your team. Let her know that you recognize that her role comes with its own challenges and that you're genuinely hoping to help her to be even better at her job. You can even wrap up the conversation with a little personal talk — ask about her kids or favorite hobby. Let her know that there are no hard feelings. Ending on a positive note will help both of you feel better and preserve the relationship.

It's never easy to give someone constructive feedback, and it's especially tough when that person is your boss — never let that stop you, though. Not only will giving feedback make you feel better about a sticky situation, but it's actually your responsibility as an employee. Your boss won't be able to improve if no one lets her know that any of her habits are problematic.

Originally published on Fairygodboss.

Virgin America was named No. 1 domestic airline by Travel + Leisure in its 2017 World's Best Awards for the 10th year in a row, and to celebrate its victory, the airline wants to reward their customers with what they're calling a Decade of Awesome Sale.

Virgin was awarded high points according to the magazine, "for its comfortable leather seats, calming mood lighting, high-definition seatback entertainment, and healthy food." JetBlue came in second, and Alaska Airlines, Virgin America's new parent company, came in third.

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Basically, Virgin is offering steeply discounted fares along popular routes and shorter-haul flights, with trips beginning as soon as July 25 and continuing through Nov. 8.

The cheapest ticket is a $79 one way from San Diego to San Francisco. My most frequently traveled leg, Los Angeles to Boston, has tickets as low as $158 each way, which is a real steal. I'm usually lucky if I can make that trip for under $500!

More: Tuesday Isn't the Cheapest Day to Buy Flights Anymore

You'll need to book your flight by 11:59 p.m. CT today, Tuesday, July 11, but being impulsive on a deal this good is usually worth it. And hey, you might as well take advantage of Virgin America's high-quality services while you can — they'll be retiring in 2019 and taking up the Alaska Airlines mantle.

Can you smell what the Rock is cooking? If you happen to catch a whiff of what's happening in the former-wrestler-turned-megastar's world right now, you'll find that fans just turned up the heat on getting Dwayne Johnson into the White House.

And let me tell you, we are *here for it.*

Determining exactly where the presidential buzz began is a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation — did he say he was interested, or did someone suggest it first? — but interest certainly sparked following a Washington Post op-ed penned last June by writer Alyssa Rosenberg.

More: We're Just So Obsessed with Dwayne Johnson Right Now

The idea really took off, though, when Johnson appeared on the season finale of Saturday Night Live this May to play up his POTUS potential.

"It's funny, you know, a lot of people have been telling me lately that I should run for president of the United States. And I've got to tell you, it's very flattering. But tonight, I want to put this to rest and just say once and for all, I'm in. Starting tonight, I am running for the president of the United States," he joked.

Well, Johnson, be careful what you wish for, 'cause West Virginia native Kenton Tilford has officially filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (or FEC) to draft Johnson for president. As of Sunday, July 9, Tilton's aptly-titled "Run the Rock 2020" campaign is on the books.

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But could a country led by the 45-year-old Fast & Furious star really come to fruition? I mean, c'mon... I think at this point we all know that anything is possible where presidential elections are concerned.

Plus, as Rosenberg points out, you can put plenty of tic marks in the pro portion of his pros & cons columns. He's extremely likable, well-read, smart, funny, highly philanthropic, charismatic, measured in his responses and isn't opposed to making the jump into politics.

In May, Johnson expressed his openness with GQ. "A year ago, [the idea] started coming up more and more," he said, referring specifically to Rosenberg's op-ed. "There was a real sense of earnestness, which made me go home and think, 'Let me rethink my answer and make sure I am giving an answer that is truthful and also respectful," adding, "I think that it's a real possibility."

More: Dwayne Johnson Is Overcome With Emotion in the Jumanji Reboot Trailer

If you consider Ronald Reagan's rise to the presidency, the idea of a parallel journey by Johnson doesn't seem so far-fetched. In which case, we'd like to go on record and toss the hat of fellow Pacific Islander, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, into the ring for the Rock's running mate.

Got-damn-it, Ryan Reynolds — it's not like we needed another reason to dream of an alternate reality where Ryan-clones populate the world. And yet here we are imagining the beautiful multiplicity of such a universe, thanks to the actor's rad AF tribute to Wonder Woman.

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According to Buzzfeed, it all started when Reynolds discovered that Wonder Woman surpassed Deadpool's domestic box office, $368 million and counting to $360 million. While Deadpool still leads the worldwide box office with $783 million, Wonder Woman could easily fly by that benchmark in the near future, too. Currently, the Gal Gadot-fronted film's global gross haul is idling right around $746 million.

But instead of allowing male fragility to rear its ugly head, Reynolds responded in a way that secured his superhero status in our minds for the foreseeable future.

Along with a graphic showing Deadpool forming a heart around the gold Wonder Woman chain he's wearing, Reynolds wrote, "The Merc May Be Filthier, but Her B.O. is Stronger. Congrats #WonderWoman #BoxOfficeBoss."

So cheeky! B.O. ... like body odor, but also box office. Oh, Reynolds. You're an American treasure, man.

A play on words plus unequivocal — and unsolicited, no less — support for a female-led film? HELL YES. Blake Lively, you lucky broad. If you ever need a stunt double for your everyday life as Reynold's wife, we volunteer as tribute.

More: How Is It That Ryan Reynolds Gets Better With Every Interview

I'll be the first to admit that when MTV premiered the reality show Newlyweds featuring then husband-and-wife Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, I was hooked. It was guilty pleasure TV, sure, but that's what made it fun. So when the show — and the couple's marriage — ended a few seasons in, fans like me were left wondering what went wrong.

More: Jessica Simpson Whips Out a Chicken of the Sea Joke for Whole Foods

Well, our time has finally come, friends. A producer by the name of Sue Kolinsky who worked on all three seasons of the show just shared some truly illuminating behind-the-scenes intel about the series during an interview with Complex.

So let's start with the question on everyone's mind, shall we? Was the show, you know, all for show?

Newlyweds wasn't nearly as scripted as people speculated, says Kolinsky. "It was a whole new genre. When it comes to reality TV, back then it was at its purest form."

Hey, that's refreshing to hear. The pair seemed really authentic. We, as the audience on a whole, were probably far less cynical back then, too. Now we generally assume everything on TV is scripted, even when it's being billed as unscripted.

Another lovely tidbit Kolinsky revealed is that Lachey and Simpson were, in fact, good together in many ways. "[Nick & Jessica] were perfect because they were polar opposites, they were beautiful, and without even realizing it, they were very funny," she said.

However, the differences that made them work as a couple also created space between them that was often filled with friction.

More: Jessica Simpson Makes a Loaded Statement About Her Marriage to Nick Lachey

"You could feel there was tension between the two of them," she explained. "They were very different people. He was a blue collar guy — he did a lot of things himself, like he and his brother would build things. He was frugal, and she had excessive taste."

She added, "In the end, they weren't suited for each other. The only thing they really had in common was their music. She was really young; I think he's seven years older than her. He wanted a family, and her father thought maybe she was too young. Her father was very involved in her life."

You can say that again! Fans of the show often felt Simpson's father, Joe, came off kind of like a creeper when he over-inserted himself into his daughter's marriage.

Whatever caused the couple's marriage to come to an untimely end, Kolinsky doesn't seem to think it was due to Simpson putting on any fake airs. Yes, even when it comes to the now-infamous Chicken of the Seas quandary.

More: Nick and Vanessa Lachey Have a New Baby

"I truly believe the whole 'chicken & fish' situation was accurate. She really did not know," she said. "I remember there was a scene where there was a dead mouse by their pool and it had been dead for a while. Nick said, 'It's in rigor mortis' and Jessica said, 'Riga-what?' I truly believe she didn't know what that meant."

Alas, all's well that ends well.

Simpson married former NFL'er Eric Johnson in 2014, and the couple has two children, daughter Maxwell Drew and son Ace Knute. Lachey and actress/model/TV personality wife Vanessa wed in 2011, and likewise have two children: son Camden John and daughter Brooklyn Elisabeth.

Occasionally, when I'm scrolling through my social media feeds, a video or picture pops up of a seemingly forlorn dog mourning at the grave of its owner. You've seen them too, right? They're total heart-tuggers and serve as a simple reminder of the unconditional bond between human and dog.

More: 20 Small Dog Breeds That're So Darn Adorable, They Don't Even Seem Real

But there is always at least one cynic in the comment section on these posts who claims the emotional moment isn't what it seems — that dogs don't grieve the same way humans do and therefore wouldn't feel any sentimentality or sadness in the situation.

As any animal lover would do, I scoff at this jaded notion. Anyone who has ever enjoyed the company of a dog in their home would have a hard time believing canines are incapable of human-esque sorrow. We've seen the big, sad eyes... we know what's up.

Or do we? Do dogs experience grief the same way we do, or is that an ability we ascribe to them?

Rest easy, 'cause San Francisco-based veterinarian Dr. Sophia Yin told U.S. News that grief is one of the basic emotions dogs experience, just like people. Admittedly, hers isn't an entirely universal consensus.

Some researchers aren't 100 percent sold on the idea. "People report that dogs grieve after similar events that might cause grief in humans, such as the loss of a loved one," Laurie Santos, director of the Comparative Cognition Laboratory and the Canine Cognition Center at Yale, told PawCulture.

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"But it's always hard to know what an animal's inner emotional life is since they don't have a language to tell us," Santos said. "There aren't many direct studies, in part because it's hard for scientists to test what a dog's inner feelings are really like using our normal scientific tools."

Other researchers do believe that dogs are capable of feeling grief like humans, but that not all dogs do. It makes sense, given that every dog's personality is unique, just like that of its human.

"It would be fascinating to figure out," said Gregory Berns, the director of the Emory Center for Neuropolicy. "If I were to speculate, I would guess that, like people, some dogs mourn and other's don't."

Although not specific to just dogs, a 2012 study completed by the world's leading scientists on the subject of animal emotions agrees that animals experience moment-to-moment consciousness like us. And, yes, this consciousness is thought to be very similar to our own.

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So if your pup is moping around and you suspect you know why he or she might be sad, you're probably right. Since you can't pour your pooch a big glass of pinot and hand them a box of chocolates to battle their blues like you'd do for yourself, go for the next best thing: lots of hugs and kisses.